I have been Relistor for about 9 months now?

Does anyone know how long it will work? I don't seem to have as good of a result as when I started 1st using it.Also, what clinical trials have been run for periods longer than 6 months? My GI said that the longest study was for 6 months, but when I saw him at 6 months, he told me to continue using Relistor. Are we now the newest guinea pigs? I'd REALLY like to know the long-term effects of this med!

Actually I believe the longest study was only 4 months. My GI doc (not prescribing doc of resistor) wanted me off it badly. She said I was too young and the long term effects are not known because the general population of people needing this severe of a "laxative" type drug, have not lived passed 4 months. :( That's because it was originally meant for hospice populations and such. Unfortunately, that's all the data on it and I just saw her a copule weeks ago. My other pain doc (I have a prescribing pain med doc and physical pain doc) said his dad has severe Parkinonsons and has been on 5-6 years with no side effects. I am sticking with my GI doctor on this one because it scares me. I use it for emergency only (7 days w/o a BM). She did tell me that a new injectable has been approved in Europe and should soon be approved by the FDA here. Maybe in about a month.

Unfortunately, I have no other great solution as I suffer from severe constipation due to multiple medications for my fibromyalgia. I have been up to 8-12 senna or dulcolax at a time along with a nother prescription laxative called Amitizia. I can still not go for days. And of course my body is becoming dependent and I now have delayed gastric emptying and very little motility. If you find more information I'd love to know. Also, I will let you know when the new injectable comes out. I am new to this site so I am not sure how to add friends, etc. Can I ask, do you use every 48-72 hrs or are using eveery day? warmest regards

I have only been using Relistor since Sept 10, 2013. I only had it work for the first three injections. I went daily for three days, adding Osmoprep. I take Miralax daily and colace. After day seven of not going, I add more Miralax which starts the bloating and misery. I also find that a four month study is the longest and it is approved for palliative care for those at the end of life with opioid induced constipation. I am having so much difficulty, that I now have three prescribed meds, which my GI says you must have colonoscopy to be assured there is no blockage. I can take Osmoprep, a colonoscopy clean out drug, Relistor and last Tuesday he added Amitaza.

Since I had a colonoscopy 6-7 years ago, he lets me add OTC and I can use Osmoprep with one of the other drugs. I am feeling far more miserable taking meds to go more often than having 8-10 days go buy. Though I have to say after this last ten day stint, when the GI changed Relistor to daily, the pain left in my stomach feels as if the nerve endings are on fire, as if the BM got ripped off. I did find that I missed my long acting OxyContin ,so I don't know how much this has to do with how awful I feel currently.

I am afraid we have no choice but to be the testers, if our pain is to be controlled. I know if my pain couldn't be partially controlled, I would be unable to survive. Something will kill us, just a question of what?